Transcribe Bentham

Welcome to the first progress update of 2013, and happy new year to all contributors and readers! This update covers the three weeks from 22 December 2012 to 11 January 2013: during this time, a total of 28,789 words (including XML markup) have been transcribed. Apologies for the delay in attending to submissions, owing to the Christmas and New Year break. We hope this wasn’t attended with too much convenience, and normal service has now been resumed.

• From 22 to 28 December: a total of 4,791 manuscripts had been transcribed or partially transcribed (an increase of 31 on the previous week).
• From 29 December 2012 to 4 January 2013: 4,802 manuscripts transcribed or partially transcribed (up 11).
• and from 5 to 11 January 2013: 4,821 manuscripts transcribed or partially transcribed (an increase of 19)

Of these 4,821 transcripts, 4,574 (94%) are complete and locked.

The more detailed state of progress is as follows:

• Box 2: 351 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (66%)
• Box 27: 348 of 350 (99%)
• Box 35: 276 of 439 (62%)
• Box 50: 95 of 198 (48%)
• Box 51: 352 of 940 (37%)
• Box 62: 53 of 565 (9%)
• Box 70: 246 of 250 (70%)
• Box 71: 651 of 665 (97%)
• Box 72: 607 of 664 (91%)
• Box 73: 151 of 151 (100%)
• Box 79: 198 of 199 (99%)
• Box 95: 119 of 147 (80%)
• Box 96: 526 of 539 (97%)
• Box 97: 42 of 288 (14%)
• Box 98: 33 of 499 (6%)
• Box 100: 131 of 433 (30%)
• Box 115: 271 of 307 (88%)
• Box 116: 333 of 864 (38%)
• Box 139: 38 of 38 (100%)
• Overall: 59% of the 8,164 manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

The most heavily transcribed boxes of material during the three weeks were boxes 98, 100, and 116.

Next week’s progress update will most likely be issued on Monday 21 January, as from next Wednesday I will be in Valencia to attend the kick-off meeting of thetranScriptorium project, in which we are involved. We are looking forward to being able to tell you more about this in the coming weeks!

Thank you, as ever, to all those who have contributed to Transcribe Bentham during the last three weeks. Your efforts remain greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the progress update for the period 15 to 21 December 2012, during which time another landmark has been reached! A total of 12,921 words (including XML markup) have been transcribed by volunteers this week.

4,760 manuscripts have now been transcribed or partially transcribed, which is an increase of 24 on this time last week. Of these transcripts, 4,514 (94%) are now complete, so the 4,500th completed transcript mark has been well and truly breached.

The more detailed state of progress is as follows:

• Box 2: 351 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (66%)
• Box 27: 348 of 350 (99%)
• Box 35: 275 of 439 (62%)
• Box 50: 90 of 198 (45%)
• Box 51: 352 of 940 (37%)
• Box 62: 53 of 565 (9%)
• Box 70: 245 of 250 (70%)
• Box 71: 651 of 665 (97%)
• Box 72: 607 of 664 (91%)
• Box 73: 151 of 151 (100%)
• Box 79: 198 of 199 (99%)
• Box 95: 119 of 147 (80%)
• Box 96: 526 of 539 (97%)
• Box 97: 39 of 288 (13%)
• Box 98: 26 of 499 (5%)
• Box 100: 114 of 433 (26%)
• Box 115: 269 of 307 (87%)
• Box 116: 308 of 864 (35%)
• Box 139: 38 of 38 (100%)
• Overall: 58% of the 8,164 manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

The most heavily transcribed boxes this week were boxes 70, 100, and 116.

We are now in the process of adding volunteer produced transcripts to UCL’s digital Bentham Papers repository: simply click ‘Browse Transcribed Manuscripts’ to see which ones have been uploaded so far (you can also have a look at a past blog post for more information on the repository. Uploading the transcripts is a slow process, so please do bear with us: we will get there!

In further good news, the Bentham Papers and volunteer transcripts have also been added to Connected Histories. This is a search engine produced by the University of Hertfordshire, the Institute of Historical Research (University of London), and the University of Sheffield, and which allows you to explore a number of superb digital historical resources from one single point. We are delighted to be part of this wonderful resource.

These are just two ways in which the efforts of volunteer transcribers are making a real contribution to scholarship and research, by gradually opening up the Bentham Papers and widening access to this priceless collection of manuscripts.

As we have mentioned before, UCL closes today for the festive period, and I will be out of the office until Monday 7 January. The Transcription Desk will remain fully available throughout the holiday. Any transcripts submitted during the break will be checked when I return, though I will endeavour to issue the usual progress reports. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

We also have an exciting job opportunity here at the Bentham Project.This is to work alongside Transcribe Bentham project staff, in collaboration with colleagues at European partner institutions, on an exciting new European Commission-funded project entitled tranScriptorium. More details can be found via the job advertisement, the closing date for which is Friday 4 January 2013.

which will involve working with Transcribe Bentham staff and colleagues at UCL’s Centre for Digital Humanities and the University of London Computer Centre, on an exciting new European Commission-funded

Thank you, as ever, to all those who have given their time and effort to the project during the past seven days. Your support remains greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the progress update for the period 8 to 14 December which—as it tends to be around this time of year!—has been a little quieter than normal. However, a total of 6,866 words (including XML markup) have still been transcribed during the last seven days.

4,736 manuscripts have now been transcribed or partially transcribed, which is an increase of eight on this time last week. Of these transcripts, 4,491 (94%) are now complete, which is ten up on last Friday. We are now extremely close to locking our 4,500th transcript!

The more detailed state of progress is as follows:

• Box 2: 351 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (66%)
• Box 27: 348 of 350 (99%)
• Box 35: 275 of 439 (62%)
• Box 50: 90 of 198 (45%)
• Box 51: 351 of 940 (37%)
• Box 62: 53 of 565 (9%)
• Box 70: 240 of 250 (68%)
• Box 71: 651 of 665 (97%)
• Box 72: 606 of 664 (91%)
• Box 73: 151 of 151 (100%)
• Box 79: 198 of 199 (99%)
• Box 95: 119 of 147 (80%)
• Box 96: 526 of 539 (97%)
• Box 97: 37 of 288 (12%)
• Box 98: 26 of 499 (5%)
• Box 100: 110 of 433 (25%)
• Box 115: 267 of 307 (86%)
• Box 116: 299 of 864 (34%)
• Box 139: 38 of 38 (100%)
• Overall: 58% of the 8,164 manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

Boxes 70 and 98 were the most heavily transcribed during the last seven days.

As mentioned elsewhere, UCL closes for the holidays soon and I will be away from 22 December 2012 until 7 January 2013 – TB will remain fully available over that period, but my responses to any queries may be slower than usual.

Thank you, as ever, to all those who have given their time and effort to Transcribe Bentham during the last seven days. It remains greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the progress update for the period 31 November to 7 December 2012, during which further steady progress has been made. A total of 13,647 words (including XML markup) were transcribed during the last seven days.

4,728 manuscripts have now been transcribed or partially-transcribed, up 19 on last week’s total. Of these transcripts, 4,481 (94%) are complete, which is an increase of 18 on this time last week. Several of this week’s transcripts were very long, so though fewer manuscripts were worked on this week than last, almost as many words have been transcribed by volunteers.

The more detailed state of progress is as follows:

• Box 2: 351 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (66%)
• Box 27: 348 of 350 (99%)
• Box 35: 275 of 439 (62%)
• Box 50: 90 of 198 (45%)
• Box 51: 351 of 940 (37%)
• Box 62: 53 of 565 (9%)
• Box 70: 236 of 250 (67%)
• Box 71: 651 of 665 (97%)
• Box 72: 606 of 664 (91%)
• Box 73: 151 of 151 (100%)
• Box 79: 198 of 199 (99%)
• Box 95: 117 of 147 (79%)
• Box 96: 526 of 539 (97%)
• Box 97: 37 of 288 (12%)
• Box 98: 24 of 499 (4%)
• Box 100: 110 of 433 (25%)
• Box 115: 267 of 307 (86%)
• Box 116: 299 of 864 (34%)
• Box 139: 38 of 38 (100%)
• Overall: 57% of the 8,164 manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

Boxes 70 and 116 were the most heavily transcribed during the last seven days.

Elsewhere in the Bentham-sphere, you may be interested to download Jeremy Bentham: Prophet of Secularism by Professor Philip Schofield, the Director of the Bentham Project at UCL. This work was delivered as the South Place Ethical Society’s Conway Memorial Lecture in 2011.

The lecture is held in Discovery, UCL’s open-access digital repository, which allows you to download for free cutting-edge research carried out by UCL staff. We heartily recommend exploring the repository (and not just because Discovery contains all back issues of the Journal of Bentham Studies!)

Thank you, as ever, to all those who have given their time and effort to Transcribe Bentham during the last seven days. Your efforts remain greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the progress update for the period 17 to 23 November 2012, during which time further steady progress continues to be made by transcribers: a total of 15,198 words (including TEI markup) were transcribed over the last seven days.

4,680 manuscripts have now been transcribed or partially transcribed, which is an increase of 26 on last week’s total. Of these transcripts, 4,439 are complete and locked, which is 31 up on last week’s total.

The more detailed state of progress is as follows:

• Box 2: 350 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (66%)
• Box 27: 348 of 350 (99%)
• Box 35: 275 of 439 (62%)
• Box 50: 90 of 198 (45%)
• Box 51: 351 of 940 (37%)
• Box 62: 53 of 565 (9%)
• Box 70: 216 of 250 (61%)
• Box 71: 651 of 665 (97%)
• Box 72: 606 of 664 (91%)
• Box 73: 151 of 151 (100%)
• Box 79: 198 of 199 (99%)
• Box 95: 116 of 147 (78%)
• Box 96: 526 of 539 (97%)
• Box 97: 37 of 288 (12%)
• Box 98: 16 of 499 (3%)
• Box 100: 104 of 433 (24%)
• Box 115: 267 of 307 (86%)
• Box 116: 287 of 864 (33%)
• Box 139: 38 of 38 (100%)
• Overall: 57% of the 8,164 manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

Boxes 70 and 116 were the most heavily transcribed during the past week. Amongst the Box 70 material was a couple of interesting manuscripts. In one, Bentham discusses what might be termed the ‘pleasures of revenge‘, or the ‘irascible appetite’.

In the second manuscript, Bentham strays off into some casual stereotyping: ‘A Dutchman when he has fouled his under-garment, it is said, will cover it with [another] instead of changing it for a clean one … not to change it for another, but to clap a clean one over it, & so on to the number of perhaps half a dozen‘. (Thank you to volunteer JFoxe for transcribing both of those).

Elsewhere, you can also read more about Transcribe Bentham‘s latest award in a blog post from earlier this week.

Thank you, as ever, to all those who have given their time and effort to Transcribe Bentham during the last seven days. It remains greatly appreciated.